Abstracts and Links to Music studies with animals
Dogs detect sounds as low as the 16 to 20 Hz frequency range (compared to 20 to 70 Hz for humans) and as high as
70,000 to 100,000 Hz (compared to 20,000 Hz for humans), and in addition have a degree of ear mobility that helps
them to rapidly pinpoint the exact location of a sound. Eighteen or more muscles can tilt, rotate and raise or lower a
dog's ear. Additionally, a dog can identify a sound's location much faster than a human can, as well as hear sounds up
to four times the distance that humans are able to.
1.The influence of auditory stimulation on the behaviour of dogs housed in a rescue shelter
Authors: Wells, D.L.; Graham, L.; Hepper, P.G.
Source: Animal Welfare, Volume 11, Number 4, November 2002 , pp. 385-393(9)This study explored the influenceof five types of auditory stimulation (human conversation, classical music, heavy metal music, pop music, and acontrol) on the behavior of 50 dogs housed in a rescue shelter. The dogs were exposed to each type of auditory
stimulation for 4 h, with an intervening period of one day between conditions. The dogs' position in their kennels(front, back), their activity (moving, standing, sitting, resting, sleeping), and their vocalization (barking, quiet, other)were recorded over 4 h at 10 min intervals during each condition of auditory stimulation. The dogs' activity andvocalization were significantly related to auditory stimulation. Dogs spent more time resting and less time standing
when classical music was played than when any of the other stimuli were played. Exposure to heavy metal musicencouraged dogs to spend significantly more of their time barking than did other types of auditory stimulation.
Classical music resulted in dogs spending significantly more of their time quiet than did other types of auditory
stimulation. It is suggested that the welfare of sheltered dogs may be enhanced through exposure to appropriate formsof auditory stimulation. Classical music appears particularly beneficial, resulting in activities suggestive of relaxation
and behaviors that are considered desirable by potential buyers. This form of music may also appeal to visitors,
resulting in enhanced perceptions of the rescue shelter's environment and an increased desire to adopt a dog fromsuch a source.
2.Effects of harp music therapy on canine patients in the veterinary hospital setting. The Harp Therapy
Journal, 8(2), 1, 4-5,15. Boone, A., & Quelch, V. (2003)[Three groups of 32 canine patients received 60 minute sessions of harp therapy (Group 1: hospitalized less than 8hrs.; Group 2: hospitalized longer than 8 hrs.; and Group 3: post-surgical patients). Visual measures of discomfort:
restlessness, anxiety and respiration rate; all decreased during the harp therapy session. The control group displayedno such decrease and, in fact, continued to increase in all three measures. The harp therapy group demonstrated a
gradual decline in respiration rates over the one-hour in contrast to the control group – which remained unchanged
during the same period. Both groups demonstrated a shallow trend in reduction of heart rate.]
3. The effects of sound and music on our patients and workplace (Proceedings)
http://veterinarycalendar.dvm360.com, April 1, 2010 By: Susan O. Wagner, DVM, MS, DACVIM
Sound is an important part of an animal's surroundings, and should be considered when taking a history on an anxious
or reactive pet. Many owners don't realize the significance of sound in their homes, and most veterinarians are notcognizant of the sonic environment their hospitalized patients are exposed to.
4. Psychologists' trials find music tempo affects productivity http://www.le.ac.uk/press/press/moosicstudy.html	  June 2001 No. 67
Dairy cows produce more milk when listening to REM's 'Everybody Hurts' or Beethoven's 'Pastoral Symphony' thanwhen subjected to Wonderstuff's 'Size of a Cow' or the Beatles' 'Back In The USSR' a new study by music research
specialists at the University of Leicester has found.
Their milk yield rose by 0.73 litres per cow per day when they were exposed to slow music rather than fast music.
The results revealed a three per cent increase in output when slow rather than fast music was played.
Scientists Adrian North and Liam MacKenzie from the Music Research Group at the University of Leicester Schoolof Psychology exposed cattle to fast, slow and no music at all over a nine-week period.
The trials, at LCAH Dairies in Lincolnshire and Bishop Burton Agricultural College in Humberside, involved playing
music to the cows for 12 hours a day, from 5am to 5pm.
Dr North said: These results are statistically significant they reveal that milk yields could be increased by 3% simply
by playing certain types of music to the cows.
We have found that cows respond to a pleasant auditory environment by producing more milk. It seems that slow
music had the effect of alleviating stress and relaxing the animals which resulted in greater milk yields.
Liam MacKenzie said that the research was an extension of the School's ongoing study into the effects of music on
aspects of human behaviour: Most theories of music preferences are based on humans.

We were testing whether the theories, which had been proven with humans, would also hold true of other animals.
We found that slow music improved milk yields perhaps because it relaxes the cows in much the same way as it
relaxes humans.
5. The influence of olfactory stimulation on the behaviour of dogs housed in a rescue shelter
Lynne Graham, Deborah L. Wells, Peter G. Hepper Applied Animal Behaviour Science
Volume 91, Issue 1 , Pages 143-153, May 2005 Abstract
This	  study	  explored	  the	  influence	  of	  five	  types	  of	  olfactory	  stimulation	  (control,	  lavender,	  chamomile,	  rosemary	  and	  peppermint)	  on	  the	  behaviour	  of	  55	  dogs	  housed	  in	  a	  rescue	  shelter.	  The	  dogs	  were	  exposed	  to	  each	  type	  of	  olfactory	  stimulation,	  through	  the	  diffusion	  of	  essential	  oils,	  for	  4 h	  a	  day	  for	  5	  days,	  with	  an	  intervening	  period	  of	  2	  days	  between	  conditions.	  The	  dogs’	  behaviour	  was	  recorded	  on	  days	  1,	  3	  and	  5,	  during	  each	  condition	  of	  olfactory	  stimulation.	  Certain	  aspects	  of	  the	  dogs’	  behaviour	  were	  influenced	  by	  the	  odours.	  Dogs	  spent	  more	  time	  resting	  and	  less	  time	  moving	  upon	  exposure	  to	  lavender	  and	  chamomile	  than	  any	  of	  the	  other	  olfactory	  stimuli.	  These	  odourants	  also	  encouraged	  less	  vocalization	  than	  other	  types	  of	  aroma.	  The	  diffusion	  of	  rosemary	  and	  peppermint	  into	  the	  dogs’	  environment	  encouraged	  significantly	  more	  standing,	  moving	  and	  vocalizing	  than	  other	  types	  of	  odour.	  It	  is	  suggested	  that	  the	  welfare	  of	  sheltered	  dogs	  may	  be	  enhanced	  through	  exposure	  to	  appropriate	  forms	  of	  olfactory	  stimulation.	  Lavender	  and	  chamomile	  appear	  particularly	  beneficial,	  resulting	  in	  activities	  suggestive	  of	  relaxation	  and	  behaviours	  that	  are	  considered	  desirable	  by	  potential	  adopters.	  These	  types	  of	  olfactory	  stimulation	  may	  also	  appeal	  to	  visitors,	  resulting	  in	  enhanced	  perceptions	  of	  the	  rescue	  shelter	  and	  an	  increased	  desire	  to	  adopt	  a	  dog	  from	  such	  an	  environment.